Nightmares and Wolves (The Deities of Harmony 1)
by earzo7
Summary: Time moves on in every world, and the realms of Equestria are no exception. The Alicorns have long past, and new rulers have taken to the stars. 2300 years since Celestia and Luna last ruled, and times have changed. Beasts have raided the land and destroyed everything, but this is a tale of young adventures, ready to protect the lands, one quest at a time.
1. Chapter 1: 2000 Years Later

_It is a long and complicated history, it's for the better if nopony hears it from me personally._

Those words were buzzing in the towns-ponies' ears. They asked the ancient dragon Spike the Wingless, now the ruler of the small village of Hooften Valley, what he knew of the Great Goddesses that had taken over after the fall of Canterlot, 2,300 years earlier. He was there when the fall occurred, of course, and the whole town knew it; but it took ages for anypony to ask him about it. The asker was finally a young cleric of Dashanillian, who wanted to know the history of the six Goddesses that they built there temples to.

Every day, in every sermon, the High Priest of Lady Twilight, Goddess of Magic, spoke of how six ponies who had survived the fall of Canterlot and the death of the Alicorns, and became goddesses, each good and powerful. Nopony knew about the history of these ponies, other than the fact that they all changed their name to hide from history. All that is, but the Goddess of Festival, Pinkamena. That was the only lead they had to any of the Goddesses' nature. Revereity, Lady Twilight, Flutma Shee, Dashanillian, Pomum Ja (more commonly called "Jack" because Dashanillian refered to her as that), and Pinkamena; the Goddesses were known throughout the realm as The Elements Of Harmony, but the origin of this name was lost in the fire at the Canterlot Library, just like many spells, historical records, and people.

I personally, am a Druid. Though we are few, we follow the teachings of Flutma Shee, and respect nature to the best of our abilities. The villagers tend to ignore our presense, as we do little that protects them from the bandits that have set up camp not too far away. We druids try to be humble and kind to all, especially the animals, but it does not get us far in these times. My Earth-Pony magic helps people here in indirect ways, unlike the Uni-Mages who took up in the town long ago.

After Spike the Wingless told us that he was not going to tell anybody about the Goddesses, life went back to normal. For a few minutes, at least. I stoped by the market to sell a basket of wild berries, when I saw the young priest of Dashanillian talking to an older priest of the same temple. He was a Unicorn of white coat and a red mane, and deep grey eyes. I spoke to him.

"Hey, weren't you that preist that had the nerve ask Spike about the Goddesses' history?"

I worried my inquiry would upset the priest, as many obvious questions do to Dashanillian priests...

"Whassit to ya?"

... which it did.

"I was just hoping to know what compelled you to that?"

"The same thing that compelled me tah strive to be better than whatever you are."

He glared at my black-berry juice and dirt covered hooves, upset over my uncleanliness so close to his temple. I easily shrugged it off. Flutma was never so easily upset, but Dashanillian's priests had tempers like dogs.

"What do you mean better than me? I'd say we're equals"

"When ya have muscles like me, then we'll be equals. You ain't got a muscle in yer body."

"You arn't as tough looking as you say you are."

The priest stepped between us at this point, putting his hoof on the ground.

"Listen, Grimace, don't pick on the little pansies. They can't handle their own hide as well as you can. And squirt, you don't insult a priest, no matter how young he is. Now I want both of you to apologize."

Grimace simply turned away.


	2. Chapter 2: A Fine Thief

I wasn't there at the time, but my friends Feather Hoof and Candle Light were. Candle was the young apprentice of Lantern Flicker, the mage of Hooften Valley, and was working with Feather to collect Heart's Desire from the town gardens. The problem is that the town gardens are not to be messed with, and harvesting plants there is a case of trespassing, thievery, vandalism, and picking an endangered plant species all in one. But Candle needed the plant for her master, and she really wanted to see the combination of magic, alchemy, and potion making together to create artificial life.

I don't know how she did it, but Feather managed to convince the garden guards that she was a visiting druid, and wanted to speak to me in the gardens. I wasn't even in the gardens, and I told the guards I was leaving an hour before they arrived, but Feather got in anyway, totting a large sack of Candle Light behind her. It took a whole hour for them to find the Heart's Desire, avoiding any druids on the way. Finally, as Feather led Candle to the small flowers somewhere in that mess of a garden, she pulled out a small dagger, and cut a single bud off its stalk.

"Okay, let's go!"

But Candle didn't move. She eyed a single wild apple tree, with fruit of many colors all over its electrifying branched. She approached the glistening fruit, eyes open. She saw the storms over head the last few days, and learned its meaning over the course of her studies. She needed those fruit. Taking the empty sack Feather smuggled her in with, Candle's magic pulled the apples from the branches and into the bag.

"How are we going to get you out with THOSE in the bag?"

"We'll think of something when the time comes."

"What, no elaborate plan?"

"Nope"

"I'm starting to rub off on you, aren't I?"

Candle and Feather hid near the exit for some time, waiting for me. When I arrived, a small chipmunk with a broken paw was following me. I carried him on my back, and let him down in the safety of the garden. As far as I knew, nothing could get through security there, even if it was a timber wolf chasing the chipmunk down. Then I heard the bushes call my name. I walked over to find Candle and Feather with a huge sack behind them, Feathers deep green coat and Candles light green coats blending with the scenery.

"Petal Tree, listen. Can you help us get out?"

"I didn't even help you in! What are you doing here?"

"Candle needed some Heart's Desire for a spell."

I looked at Candle accusingly.

"Look, I'll plant the seeds, and have Fertile Soil grow them. We just need the pollen. He'll grow you some more and do nature-y stuff and give you the plants back, we just need out"

"What's in the sack?"

Candle blushed.

"Fine, I'll help you two get out. But you owe me."

Candle climbed a willow tree over the fence, like I told her too. Feather simply flew over. The guards would have noticed on the patrol around the garden, but I had put Sleep Dew in the guards' drinking springs. I woke them up after Candle was out of sight.

"Wakey, wakey, it's time for your rounds. You should have woke up earlier, they started two hours ago. You're luck I found you instead of somepony else, you could have gotten in trouble."


	3. Chapter 3: On The Subject of Life

The three of us were walking to the Temples, where we would go to the daily sermons of our personal goddesses. I was going to Flutma Shee's temple, and as we passed the masses crowded at The Temple of Jack and The Temple of Dashinillian, me and Candle began talking.

"So, what WAS the spell you needed Heart's Desire for?"

"It was lovely, Petal! You should have been there! We took a small ball of clay, crushed gems, and Heart's Desire, mixed them together and watered it down. We sculpted it then put it in an Alchemical Kiln, and focused our magic on our life force, and replicated that in a small toy pony!"

"So what does the clay have to do with the pony?"

"The pony is made of clay."

"Oooooh! How... how... wonderfully... impure and false to nature."

"What do you mean? We painted it to look real and everything! It can't be THAT bad!"

"Yes, but it's not REAL life! It's just kinda like life."

"Of course it's real life! The golem even managed too run in fear from us!"

"What? Why would it do that?"

"It can't think."

That's when the cheering and music blasting from Pinkamena's temple drowned out the talking. And we saw Lantern Flicker talking to a bunch of unicorns down the road. We approached him, me ready to inquire about what inspired him to make such an abomination. Of course, he was already talking about it too his colleges.

"And that's when it fell off the table and nearly busted! If we didn't patch up the cracks, the thing would have died. The magic was leaking out of its breakage."

"I couldn't have bared to let my creation fail like that! I would have had to put its spirit in a bottle!"

"Haha, how quaint. An artificial spirit in an artificial container. Why doesn't anypony put a real spirit in real gemstones anymore?"

"So have you tested if you can create an artificial conscious for it yet?"

"I will be sure to get to that. First I must get a live subject to do a full mind wipe and transfer. I was thinking of using a hare."

I couldn't help it at that point. I just kind of... Exploded.

"EXCUSE ME? What did you say you would use?"

"A har..."

"I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID! Life is a DRUID'S or a CLERIC's domain. You foul mages have no right to be messing with its delicate balances. Even the PETTIEST of hares is worth more than the likes of YOU for saying that!"

I don't know how long I went on, but it caused a lot of attention. Eventually, a unicorn that I recognize as Grimace came along.

"Haha, I didn't know ponies like you could holler at all."

I realised my flaw at that moment, and felt regret at the scene I caused.

"I apologize, Mage Flicker. I just remembered the real ponies who need a good talking too."

Grimace grimaced, making his name-sake obvious. Feather looked at Grimace with a small grin on her face. Then Flicker spoke up to Grimace.

"You seem to have a strong body and spirit, which is lucky for me."

"And what makes ye say that?"

"I need somebody to fetch some Timber Wolf Bark from the Everfree."

"What's in it fer me?"

"I'll enchant any weapon of your choice."

I realised where this was going, and spoke up.

"I'll go too, because I don't trust him too not hurt the Timber Wolves."

Feather and Candle quickly volunteered too. Flicker gratefully accepted the free labor, quickly giving us pointers and sending us on our way.


	4. Chapter 4: A Nightmare and A Mage

The four of us were on our way. We wondered carefully, being watching out for the dangers of the forest. We heard the stories of many foul beasts, and we had to be ready for anything. Grimace was using his magic to hold a loaded crossbow, while I held a club in my hoof. Feather kept an eye in the sky and scouted ahead, while Candle took up the rear.

Suddenly, the crack of a breaking tree limb filled the still air. A sense of dread filled us all. We where not ready for anything that could come, and we knew bandits lived in the forests. A single parasprite flew out of the thicket, before a quick burst of flame from the brush ended its life.

Out stepped one of the dreadful beings created from the magic released by the death of the Alicorns. It looked like a normal pony, black in color, except for the flames forming its mane, hooves, and tail. The Nightmare looked at us with fire in its eyes, quite litterally. It didn't like us, and if it had any say, there would have been nothing left to dislike.

The Nightmare charged me, kicking me in the neck. The feeling of fire was nothing compared to the pain caused by being hooved in the neck, only to be knocked into a tree. I could hardly move, and I couldn't breathe at all. Grimace fired the crossbow, then quickly switch it out for another he had already loaded. He obviously strained to use his magic to reload one cross-bow while aiming the other, and the Nightmare took this to her advantage. She snorted outward, causing a wall of flames to form between Grimace and the Nightmare. He couldn't see to aim, and the horse jumped through the flames onto him, where its hooves burn into his flesh.

I felt hopeless, but Candle didn't. Within seconds of pinning Grimace, the Nightmare was forced to release him by a ball of freezing air. The Nightmare's fire had been dimmed by the blow, and it focused all attention on fragile young Candle. She ran. She ran like she never ran before. The Nightmare gave chase, forcing Candle to run all the way too the ruins of Ponyville. The land had been take back by nature, but the huge husk of a burnt tree still stood in the cobble streets.

Candle quickly ran inside an opening in the bark, to find a whole room carved out of the tree. Rotted book cases filled with termite eaten texts lined the unburnt wall. A high loft posed protection, and Candle quickly climbed the wall, using holes formed from centuries of neglect as hoof-holds. The balcony held ancient drawers, and Candle quickly hid behind one. The Nightmare came inside, sniffing the air.

"Come out, cold-hearted thing. I'm not afraid to burn this place down with you in it."

Candle knew it was bluffing. The building was old, wet, and half of it was already charred. Anything that could burn was already burnt now. Yet, she still knew what it would do to her if it found her, so she had to figure out what to do. She built up her courage. Casting a few spells before-hand, she stepped out into view.

The magic she had cast before wouldn't do, and so she reverted to a new spell. Three bolt of blue magical energy blasted the Nightmare, who spewed fire in kind. Candle avoided the main blast, but was still injured by the flames. She hopped over the Nightmare, then ran outside. The Nightmare followed, burning a flower on the ground as it stepped out. Candle turn to see a foul beast of fire get ready to burn the very meat off her bones.

A flash of dark green hit the Nightmare from above, knocking it to the ground. The Nightmare coughed up a pool of black blood, before being trampled by Feather. Candle looked at the dead Nightmare, then at her.

"Are Petal and Grimace alright?"


	5. Chapter 5: More Bark Than Bite

Grimace managed to heal me, and I used my druid powers to heal him. He could have healed me, but he used most his magic up trying to keep me alive. I got him back up on his hooves, and we tried to figure out what to do.

"I think we should wait for Feather and Candle to get back."

"I ain't a waiting for a bunch of yer green blotches to get back."

"Well we can't leave them!"

"Sure we can! I ain't waiting ferever, so if yer coming, come on!"

I knew I couldn't stay out alone, and neither could Grimace. Feather wouldn't leave Candle alone, so Feather couldn't go ahead and look for us. We where separated, assuming they were alive.

"Do you think they made it?"

"The Pegasus surely did. I never did saw a Nightmar that could fly, and I never will did see a Nightmar that could fly."

"What about Candle?"

"I don't think she made it. That Nightmar could outchase her swift as a raisin."

We walked without speaking, looking for the tell-tale signs of Timber Wolves. Soon we came across a tree with a thick sap covering one side of its trunk. Grimace sniffed it.

"That's Timber Wolf terrortorry markin'."

"So we're near Timber Wolves?"

"Aye"

I shivered. One Nightmare is trouble. But a single pack of Timber Wolves can have up to 50 wolves. I began trying to convince Grimace to think over the attack and strategies, and eventually he agreed. We spent three hours talking, but I felt like I needed to stall for a bit longer.

"I ain't listen to yer games. I am going in there, and you can't stop me."

He turned away from the clearing and started trotting away, when we heard voices in the distance. Feather and Candle caught up with us, and we exchanged stories. Soon we were heading towards the wolves as a group. Feather, Candle and I kept our distance from Grimace, and soon we were at a second clearing. I told Feather and Candle our plan, and soon Feather was airborne and Candle, Grimace and I were up a bunch of trees. We began making the awfullest noises we could, trying to sound like injured prey.

The Timber Wolves investigated the clearing throughly, but couldn't find us in the trees. They were persistent however, and eventually Grimace climbed down to low branches and hit one with his hoof. The Wolves swarmed his outstretched leg, pulling him out of the tree. Splintery teeth and claws began mauling him, and Feather started crying. There where too many wolves for Candle to do anything without hurting Grimace, so I took matters to my own hooves. I got their attention, and then used my Earth-Pony magic to calm the wild nerves of both the plant and the animal side to these beasts. They soon calmed, sitting around Grimace's dying body.

The wolves eventually dissipated, all going separate ways. Most of Grimace's body was mostly eaten by then, and only one wolf remained. The wolves had feasted on the gory mess on the ground, and now was time to take revenge. Nature can be cruel too sometimes...

I climbed down near the base of the tree and clubbed the wolf across the head. It fell over, limp. I held a stick I sharpened, and drove it into the beast's heart. It was the same wolf that ripped out Grimace's throat. We removed the bark from the limp corpse, and brought the bark, Grimace's body, and the Nightmare's hooves back too Hooften Valley. He has a horrible death, but he would be celebrated. I would see too it.


End file.
